Services & Support

About SRD's Emergency Program

The Strathcona Regional District’s (SRD) Emergency Program includes projects, programs and resources to support emergency preparedness and response.

Our strength is our volunteers
The success of the Strathcona Emergency Program is made possible by the dedication of many volunteers who contribute their time, skills, and expertise to emergency preparedness and response.

The Strathcona Regional District gratefully acknowledges the support of volunteer organizations and partner agencies, including Emergency Radio Communications, Emergency Support Services, Search and Rescue, the Canadian Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Canadian Animal Disaster Response Team, and St. John Ambulance.

We thank these organizations and their volunteers for their ongoing commitment to keeping our communities safe.

Current Projects and Initiatives

Public Art Projects

The SRD is currently working on completing two public art projects to support community awareness and resilience through creative expression. The Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Adaption grant funding stream is funding these projects to enhance community identity and foster social connection.

LIFE Kits

The SRD’s Emergency Program has rolled out a new program, bringing LIFE Kits to residents in the area. This is part of an initiative to provide safety and education throughout the community.

Each LIFE Kit contains an information sheet to provide first responders with vital information on the occupants of the home, such as:

  • Medical history
  • Emergency contacts
  • Medications
  • Vital patient statistics
  • Advanced medical directives

The kits also contain two stickers and one magnet that reads ‘LIFE KIT’. Residents should place one sticker on the entrance to alert First Responders that a LIFE Kit is available and the second sticker or magnet on the refrigerator, where the actual LIFE Kit is kept.

Each LIFE Kit is contained in a clear plastic sealable bag for storage and will include the following:

Residents who have more than two members in their household can download additional LIFE Kit documentation forms.

Volunteer - Emergency Support Services

The SRD sponsors Emergency Support Services (ESS) Teams as part of a regional approach to providing humanitarian aid throughout our regional district.

If you are interested in joining one of these teams, please contact preparedness@srd.ca.

ESS is the at the heart of emergency response. British Columbians forced from their homes by fire, floods, earthquakes or other emergencies may receive ESS for up to 72 hours. 

ESS Volunteer responsibilities may include:

  • Coordinating the provision of:
    • Food, clothing and lodging
    • Emotional support
    • Pet care
    • Transportation
  • Identifying locations for reception centres and group lodging to house and feed people forced from their homes
  • Working with local businesses, service organizations and government agencies
  • Providing information about the crisis
  • Finding and coordinating other volunteers
  • Family reunification

For more information about the role ESS plays during an emergency, check out these videos:  

Volunteer - Emergency Radio Communications Team

Emergency Communications Team (ECT) members help to communicate messages quickly and securely during an emergency. They as a back-up option when primary communications systems are challenged or not functioning. Other back-up services include commercial radio frequencies, satellite telephone and marine radio.

The Strathcona Emergency Program provides most of the emergency communications equipment needed to operate this service. The program maintains a library of equipment and tools that ECT members can sign out to practice and develop their skill set further. Modern communication systems can get overloaded during crises, fail if cell towers go down, or be completely lost in natural disasters. In addition, while first responders typically have primary and secondary communication systems, many support agencies, such as local government, First Nation Emergency Operation Centres and Emergency Support Services facilities do not.

Benefits of amateur radio include:  

  •  It can play an important backup communications role during emergency events
  • Most equipment is portable and can operate independently from the main electrical system
  • The wide variety of available amateur radio frequencies enables multiple networks to be established to serve different emergency support functions

Questions or interested in volunteering? Please contact the Emergency Services Department. 

Resources